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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 5997419" data-attributes="member: 42582">This is an approach to mechanics that irritates me: if the game takes for granted that there will be locks that you open using Open Locks, and that you don't need tools for, then why does it say that you must use some form of tool to pick a lock?Maybe I've misunderstood [MENTION=54877]Crazy Jerome[/MENTION] and [MENTION=27160]Balesir[/MENTION], but that seems related to their idea of a &quot;patina of process simulation&quot; which is not doing any real work in action resolution.It seems like the real rule should be &quot;When your PC wants to open a lock, you must state (at least in general terms) how s/he is doing this.&quot; In the case of an ordinary lock, you talk about your use of a lockpick. In the case of a combination lock, you talk about your use of a hearing cone (or whatever). In the case of any lock, you talk about your use of a &quot;Fonzie bump&quot;! Which technique is permissible, and what effect it has on difficulty, would be determined by the GM (or the group as a whole, at a more democratic table), based primarily in genre considerations.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 5997419, member: 42582"] This is an approach to mechanics that irritates me: if the game takes for granted that there will be locks that you open using Open Locks, and that you don't need tools for, then [I]why does it say that you must use some form of tool to pick a lock[/I]? Maybe I've misunderstood [MENTION=54877]Crazy Jerome[/MENTION] and [MENTION=27160]Balesir[/MENTION], but that seems related to their idea of a "patina of process simulation" which is not doing any real work in action resolution. It seems like the real rule should be "When your PC wants to open a lock, you must state (at least in general terms) how s/he is doing this." In the case of an ordinary lock, you talk about your use of a lockpick. In the case of a combination lock, you talk about your use of a hearing cone (or whatever). In the case of any lock, you talk about your use of a "Fonzie bump"! Which technique is permissible, and what effect it has on difficulty, would be determined by the GM (or the group as a whole, at a more democratic table), based primarily in genre considerations. [/QUOTE]

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